Hoist for multi-storied buildings under construction

ABSTRACT

A hoist having a support structure to be releasably secured to the building frame and having raising means for lifting it relative to the building frame. A hoisting cable extends between the support structure and a base positioned therebeneath at ground level. A lift unit is raised and lowered by the hoist cable, rides on the latter between the base and the support structure, enters the support structure and is guided thereby during the upper part of its course of travel. If the hoist is used for moving concrete, the lift unit includes a bucket which tips into a hopper at the support structure.

United States Patent Murray et a1.

HOIST FOR MULTI-STORIED BUILDINGS UNDER CONSTRUCTION Inventors:

Assignee:

Filed:

Appl. No.:

US. Cl.

Int. Cl.

Donald R. Murray, North Vancouver, British Columbia; Cornelius J. M. Van Soest, Coquitlam, British Columbia; Donald C. Moulson, Burnaby, British Columbia, all of Canada I-Ieede International Ltd., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Oct. 2, 1970 Field of Search ..l87/2, 3, 20, 95; 212/57, 64

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Bobzien ..187/2 Rattigan ..187/2 699,375 5/1902 Ericsson 1 87/2 3,519,101 7/1970 Sieffert ..l87/2 938,625 11/1909 Anderson ..l87/1l 1,425,346 8/1922 Stoen ..214/707 3,207,263 9/1965 Cull ..212/64 Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Assistant ExaminerLawrence J. Oresky Attorney-Fetherstonhaugh & Co.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A hoist having a support structure to be releasably secured to the building frame and having raising means for lifting it relative to the building frame. A hoisting cable extends between the support structure and a base positioned therebeneath at ground level. A lift unit is raised and lowered by the hoist cable, rides on the latter between the base and the support structure, enters the support structure and is guided thereby during the upper part of its course of travel. If the hoist is used for moving concrete, the lift unit includes a bucket which tips into a hopper at the support structure.

13 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTED SEP 12 1912 SHEET 1 [If 3 INVENTORS R. MURRAY DONALD CORNELIUS .1. M. VAN sossr DONALD C. MOULSON ATTORN (S HOIST FOR MULTI-STORIED BUILDINGS UNDER CONSTRUCTION This invention relates to hoists for multi-storied buildings under construction, and particularly for lifting construction materials to the different floors of the building, although it can be used for other purposes as well.

There are many hoists for buildings under construction. However, most of the prior art hoists have supporting structures which are built from the ground upward. This necessitates considerable time and effort, and a structure which is strong enough to support itself, and this becomes rather difficult for high rise buildings, such as, for example, 30 or 40 stories or floors.

The present invention eliminates most of these difficulties by providing a support structure having a total height of two or more floors of the building. This support structure is releasably secured to the building frame, and includes a raising frame by means of which it can be stepped up the sideof the building frame. A hoisting cable is threaded through blocks on this support structure and on a base positioned below said structure. This cable is maintained under tension, and a lift unit is raised and lowered thereby, and rides up and down the cable below the support structure. The lift unit also enters the support structure which guides it as it moves up and down near the upper end of its course of travel. If the hoist is used for moving concrete, for example, a tippable bucket is mounted on the lift unit, and means is provided in the support structure for tipping the bucket into a receiving hopper as the lift unit approaches the upper end of its travel. The raising frame can be secured to the building frame, and power means is operable to raise or lower the support structure relative to the raising frame so that the support structure can be stepped up or down the side of the building frame. When the support structure is raised or lowered, the hoisting cable is respectively lengthened or shortened. Thus, with a comparatively small support structure, the hoist operates between the ground and any desired floor of a multi-storied building.

Another important advantage of this invention lies in the fact that the hoisting cable is in effect endless so that there is no necessity for multilayering the cable on a drum, providing a large single wrap drum, and there are no cable cross-overs. The hoisting cable is preloaded so as to provide lateral stability while the lift unit is moving therealong below the support structure, to reduce bounce during movement of the lift unit, and the hoist cable remains in neutral balance regardless of the height involved and the position of the lift unit during movement thereof.

A hoist unit according to the present invention comprises a support structure, means for releasably securing the support structure to a building being constructed above the ground level thereof, a base vertically aligned with and anchored below the support structure, a lift unit shaped to move vertically within the support structure and below the latter, a hoisting cable threaded through blocks on the support structure, the base and the lift unit, guide means on the lift unit through which portions of the hoisting cable extend, said lift unit being adapted to travel along a vertical course on portions of the cable within the guide means thereof and within said support structure, clamping means near an end of the lift course for preventing movement of the cable near said end, and power means operatively connected to the hoisting cable to move portions thereof selectively to cause the lift unit to travel up and down.

A preferred form of the invention is illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a reduced diagrammatic front elevation of the hoist,

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the apparatus,

FIG. 3 is an elevation of the back or inner side of the hoist, with the lift unit at the lower end of its course of travel,

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the apparatus in Fig. 3 with the lift unit positioned within the support structure,

FIG. Sis a horizontal section taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 is an elevation of the lower end of the support structure and showing the raising frame,

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of the portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 is an enlarged section taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 3,

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 3,

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary side elevation of the raising frame of the apparatus, and

FIG. 1 1 is a schematic of the lifting cable of the raising frame on the support structure.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, 10 is a hoist according to the present invention mounted on the frame 11 of a building 12 which is under construction. This building has a plurality of floors 13.

Hoist 10 includes mainly a support structure 20, a base 22, a lift unit 24 and a raising frame 26. Lift unit 24 is raised and lowered by a hoisting cable 28, and rides on this cable between structure 20 and base 22.

FIGS. 3 to 10 illustrate hoist 10 in detail.

Support structure 20 may be of any suitable construction which is light, strong and wind resistant. Structure 20 consists of side members 34 and 35 which may be of any desired shape and construction, and which in this example are substantially triangular in cross section, see FIG. 5. Each side member includes a pair of inner vertical tubes or tubular members 37 and 38, and an outer tube or tubular member 39 of rectangular cross section. Tubes 37 and 38 are interconnected by web tubes 40, tubes 38 and 39 are interconnected by web tubes 41, and tubes 37 and 39 are con nected by web tubes 42. Each of the two side members tapers inwardly at its upper and lower ends as indicated at 45 and 46 in FIG. 3. A crossbeam 49 extends between and is secured to the upper ends of side members 34 and 35. Side members 34 and 35 have beams 51 and 52 secured to their lower ends and securing arms 53, pivotally connected to the inner ends of these beams, extend inwardly towards the building frame, see FIGS. 4 and 7. Each of the arms 53 is adapted to pivot inwardly of the building frame and to be releasably secured to a beam 55 thereof, as shown in FIG. 4. The arms are swingable between the horizontal position shown if full in FIG. 4, to the vertical position shown in broken lines.

Another pair of securing arms 56 are pivotally connected to side members 34 and 35 and spaced above arms 53 high enough to be removably connected to a beam 57 of the floor above that of beam 55. Arms 56 are pivotal between horizontal and vertical positions, and are adjustable vertically on said side members.

When securing arms 53 and 56 are connected to beams 55 and 57, support structure 20 is secured to building frame 11.

The lower ends of side members 34 and 35 are held in position during operation of the hoist by beams 51 and 52 and their respective arms 53. However, if desired, a cross beam may be permanently or removably connected to the lower ends of the side members. If permanently connected, this lower beam would be shaped so as not to interfere with the hoist, and if removably connected, the beam would be connected to the lower ends of the side members only when support structure 20 is being raised or lowered relative tothe building frame.

A foundation 60 is mounted directly below support structure 20 when the latter is secured to building frame 11. This foundation must be very heavy or firmly secured in position, usually in the ground on which the building is being erected. Base 22 is attached to this foundation. Lift unit 24 is adapted to move between base 22 and support structure 20, and within the latter.

Lift unit 24 is made up of a rectangular frame 64 having a pair of vertical side members 66 and 67 interconnected at their upper and lower ends by upper and lower sections or beams 68 and 69. Each of the side members 66 and 67 consists of a tube 72 with a channel 73 secured to the outer surface thereof and opening laterally relative to the lift unit. The two channels 73 of the lift unit, one on each side of the unit, are positioned so as to slide along the vertical tubes 39 of side members 34 and 35 of support structure 20 when the lift unit is within the latter.

Hoisting cable 28 is threaded through blocks on support structure 20 near the upper end thereof, base 22 and lift unit 24. Portions of this cable extend through side tubes 72 of the lift unit so as to provide a guide for said unit as it travels between the base and the support structure. In effect, this hoist cable 28 is endless, although means are provided for storing this cable so that it can be lengthened and shortened as required. In this example, storage reels 79 and 80 are provided near base 22 for the ends of the cable. A clamp 81 is mounted on the base near the storage reels. Blocks 82, 83, 84, and 85 are mounted on base 22 and a traction wheel or pulley 87 is mounted to one side of and in line with these blocks. Wheel 87 is driven in any suitable manner, such as an electric motor 89.

Blocks 91 and 93 are mounted on beam 49 of support structure 20, blocks 95 and 96 are mounted on upper beam 68 of lift unit 24, and a block 98 is mounted on lower beam 69 of said lift unit.

Cable 28 extends from reel 79, through clamp 81, and successively around blocks 82, 91, 95, 96, 93, 85, traction wheel87, and blocks 84, 98 and 83, under clamp 81 and on to reel 80. Clamp 81 anchors the cable to base 22 so that said cable in effect is endless during operation. This anchoring of the cable to the base takes place on the opposite side of the blocks around which it extends from the main drive pulley 87.

The cable is suitably tensioned after it is clamped to the base. The two vertical runs 102 and 103 of cable 28 extending respectively between blocks 82 and 91, and blocks 93 and 85, extend through the tubular sides 72 of the lift unit 24 so that the lift unit travels along these two cable runs between the base and the support structure. When the lift unit is within the support structure, it slides along and is guided by tubes 39 of the side members 34 and 35 of the support structure.

The tension on cable 28 is such that the runs 102 and 103 thereof provide a fair degree of stability for the lift unit as it is travelling between the base and the support structure. As this cable is pulling against both the top and bottom of the lift unit, said unit remains in neutral balance at all times.

As traction wheel 87 is driven, part of cable 28 is shifted from one side of the lift unit to the other, depending-upon the direction of rotation of said pulley. For example, when the wheel is rotated to raise the lift unit, the wheel shifts some of the cable from the top of the unit to the bottom thereof. This is reversed when the traction wheel is rotated in the opposite direction. As there are only a few turns of the cable around pulley 87, there is no problem of multilayering or crossing over of the cable.

Although hoist 10 may be used for any purpose, it is primarily designed for lifting concrete to the different floors of the building. In this case, lift unit 24 is provided with a tippable bucket 108. The bottom of this bucket is secured to a horizontal base which is swingably mounted on a shaft 111 carried by spacedapart supports 112. Base 1 10 normally rests on a transverse bar 113 extending between supports 112 near one end thereof. These supports are mounted on the lower beam 69 of lift unit 24. It will be noted from FIG. 4 that bucket 108 is mounted eccentrically relative to shaft 111 so that the bucket normally sits in an upright position. This shaft is located inwardly of support structure 20 when the lift unit is in the latter. Bucket 20 has rollers 115 mounted on its opposite sides above shaft 111 and spaced outwardly thereof relative to the lift frame 64.

A hopper is mounted near the top of and usually on support structure between side member tubes 38 thereof. The hopper is mounted so that the lift unit and its bucket 108 can move past it as the lift unit travels upwardly on side member tubes 39. Spaced-apart curved guides 123 are mounted on side members 34 and 35 above hopper 120 adjacent opposite sides thereof, see FIGS. 4 and 5, and extend from ends 124 spaced inwardly of the support structure from the hopper to ends 125 and above said hopper. Guides 123 are so located that when the lift bucket travels upwardly past the hopper, its rollers 115 enter the guides and are directed to positions over the hopper. This causes the bucket to be tipped as the lift unit continues to move upwardly until its contents are poured into the hopper. The hopper has an outlet 128 at its lower end, which is controlled by a gate 129.

The operation of hoist 10 is very simple. While lift unit 24 is at the lower end of its course, bucket 108 is filled with concrete, then by rotating traction wheel 87, the lift unit is raised so that it moves along cable runs 102 and 103. When the unit reaches support structure 20, the side member tubes 39 enter channels 73 of the lift unit so that it is now positively guided by these tubes. When the bucket rollers 115 enter guides 123, the bucket is tipped during continued upward movement of the lift unit until-its contents are poured into hopper 120. The direction of rotation of main pulley 87 is reversed to bring the lift unit and bucket back to ground level. During the first part of the downward movement of the lift unit, its rollers 115 travel back along guides 123 to right the bucket.

Suitable means is provided for raising support structure 20 relative to the building frame 11. A raising frame 130 is provided for this purpose. Frame 130 has a plurality of rollers 132 thereon positioned to ride on tubes 38 of the side members of support structure 20. Raising frame 130 has lower and upper pivoted connecting arms 134 and 135, see FIG. 10, which are adapted to extend away from the apparatus into building frame 11 to be releasably secured to floors 13 thereof. Frame 130 is secured to beams 55 and 57 of two of the floors 13 of the building. Lower and upper arms 134 and 135 of the raising frame are releasably secured to building beams 55 and 57, respectively.

Power means is provided for raising and lowering support structure 20 relative to raising frame 130. In this example, a reversible electric motor 145 drives pulleys 146 and 147 mounted on a common shaft on frame 130, see FIGS. 6 and 1 1.'A pair of pulleys or blocks 149 and 150 are mounted on the top of structure 20, and another pair of blocks 152 and 153 are mounted on the lower end of said structure. Another pair of multiple blocks 155 and 156 are mounted on frame 130 on opposite sides of and in line with drive pulleys 146 and 147. A pair of lifting cables 160 and 161 extend around these support frame blocks, the raising frame blocks and respectively over drive pulleys 146 and 147 so that rotation of these pulleys causes relative movement between the raising frame and the support structure. If desired, rack and pinion arrangements can be substituted for this lift cable system.

Referring to FIG. 11, lift cable 160 extends from an anchored end 162 respectively around blocks 155, 149, and 155, pulley 146, and blocks 155, 152, 155 and to an opposite anchored end 163. Similarly, cable 161 extends from an anchored end 164 respectively around blocks 156, 150, and 156, pulley 147, and blocks 156, 153 and 156 and to its opposite anchored end 165. Similtaneous rotation of pulleys 146 and 147 in one direction in effect moves a portion of each of the cables 160 and 161 from below said pulleys to above the latter. This moves support structure 20 upwardly relative to raising frame 130. When the drive pulleys are rotated in the opposite direction, the support structure is moved downwardly relative to the raising frame.

In order to raise support structure 20 on the building, it is necessary first to shift raising frame 130 upwardly relative to said structure. Frame arms 134 and 135 are pivoted to their vertical position and then pulleys 146 and 147 of the support structure are rotated in the appropriate direction. As structure 20 is fixed in position by arms 53 and 56 but the raising frame is free to move, the latter is moved upwardly high enough to enable arms 135, after being swung to the horizontal position, to be secured to beam 168 of a floor above floor beam 57 and arms 134 to the latter.

Arms 53 and 56 can now be disconnected from beams 55 and 57 and pivoted upwards. Drive pulleys 146 and 147 of the raising frame are rotated to raise the support structure 20 relative to said frame. When the support structure is raised far enough, arms 53 and 56 are extended and releasably secured to beams 57 and 168. Hoisting cable 28 is released from clamp 81 during the lifting operation so that its effective length is increased as structure 20 is raised. Hoist 10 is now ready to operate from its new location.

What is claimed is:

1. A hoist for multi-storied buildings under construction comprising a support structure, means for releasably securing the support structure to a building being constructed above the ground level thereof, a base vertically aligned with and anchored below the support structure, a lift unit having an upper section and a lower section and shaped to move vertically within the support structure and below the latter, a continuous hoisting cable threaded through blocks on the base, the support structure and the upper and lower sections of the lift unit, anchoring means for securing against movement ends of the cable near the base, guide means on the lift unit slidably engaging portions of the hoist cable, said lift unit being adapted to travel along a vertical course on cable portions slidably engaged by the guide means and within said support structure, and power means operatively connected to the hoisting cable to shift portions thereof back and forth between the upper and lower sections of the lift unit to cause said unit to travel up and down.

2. A hoist as claimed in claim 1 in which said anchoring means comprises clamping means securing ends of the hoisting cable to said base, and in which said power means is located at the base and operatively connected to a portion of the hoisting cable.

3. A hoist as claimed in claim 2 in which said hoisting cable extends from said clamping'means successively around blocks on the support structure, the lift unit, the support structure, the base, the lift unit and back to the clamping means.

4. A hoist as claimed in claim 3 in which said power means comprises a power-driven traction wheel around which a portion of the hoisting cable extends.

5. A hoist as claimed in claim 1 including vertical guide rails on the support structure, and vertical guides on the lift unit for engaging and moving along said guide rails when the lift unit is within the support structure.

6. A hoist as claimed in claim 1 in which said means for securing the support structure to the building comprises upper and lower arms on said support structure and movable between positions extending into said building and positions clear of the latter.

7. A hoist as claimed in claim 1 in which said blocks include a first pair of spaced-apart blocks on the support structure near the top thereof, a second pair of spaced-apart blocks on the base below said first pair of blocks, a block on the top of the lift unit, and a block on the bottom of the lift unit.

8. A hoist as claimed in claim 7 including a third pair of blocks on the base between said second pair of blocks thereon and said block on the bottom of the lift unit.

9. A hoist as claimed in claim 8 including reel means for ends of the hoisting cable extending beyond said anchoring means at said base.

10. A hoist as claimed in claim 1 including vertical guides on the support structure, and in which said lift unit comprises a frame having vertical side members,

and means on said side members for slidably engaging unit having an upper section and a lower section and movable vertically within and below the support structure, guide means on said lift unit adapted slidably to engage the vertical guides when the lift unit is in the support structure, a continuous hoisting cable threaded through blocks on the support structure, the base and the upper and lower sections of the lift unit, said guide means slidably engaging portions of the cable which guide the lift unit when the latter moves below the support structure, anchoring means for securing against movement ends of the cable near the base, and power means operatively connected to the hoisting cable to shift portions thereof back and forth between the upper and lower sections of the lift unit selectively to cause said unit to travel up and down.

13. A hoist as claimed in claim 12 in which said guide means of the lift unit includes vertical tubes through which portions of said hoisting cable extend. 

1. A hoist for multi-storied buildings under construction comprising a support structure, means for releasably securing the support structure to a building being constructed above the ground level thereof, a base vertically aligned with and anchored below the support structure, a lift unit having an upper section and a lower section and shaped to move vertically within the support structure and below the latter, a continuous hoisting cable threaded through blocks on the base, the support structure and the upper and lower sections of the lift unit, anchoring means for securing against movement ends of the cable near the base, guide means on the lift unit slidably engaging portions of the hoist cable, said lift unit being adapted to travel along a vertical course on cable portions slidably engaged by the guide means and within said support structure, and power means operatively connected to the hoisting cable to shift portions thereof back and forth between the upper and lower sections of the lift unit to cause said unit to travel up and down.
 2. A hoist as claimed in claim 1 in which said anchoring means comprises clamping means securing ends of the hoisting cable to said base, and in which said power means is located at the base and operatively connected to a portion of the hoisting cable.
 3. A hoist as claimed in claim 2 in which said hoisting cable extEnds from said clamping means successively around blocks on the support structure, the lift unit, the support structure, the base, the lift unit and back to the clamping means.
 4. A hoist as claimed in claim 3 in which said power means comprises a power-driven traction wheel around which a portion of the hoisting cable extends.
 5. A hoist as claimed in claim 1 including vertical guide rails on the support structure, and vertical guides on the lift unit for engaging and moving along said guide rails when the lift unit is within the support structure.
 6. A hoist as claimed in claim 1 in which said means for securing the support structure to the building comprises upper and lower arms on said support structure and movable between positions extending into said building and positions clear of the latter.
 7. A hoist as claimed in claim 1 in which said blocks include a first pair of spaced-apart blocks on the support structure near the top thereof, a second pair of spaced-apart blocks on the base below said first pair of blocks, a block on the top of the lift unit, and a block on the bottom of the lift unit.
 8. A hoist as claimed in claim 7 including a third pair of blocks on the base between said second pair of blocks thereon and said block on the bottom of the lift unit.
 9. A hoist as claimed in claim 8 including reel means for ends of the hoisting cable extending beyond said anchoring means at said base.
 10. A hoist as claimed in claim 1 including vertical guides on the support structure, and in which said lift unit comprises a frame having vertical side members, and means on said side members for slidably engaging said guides.
 11. A hoist as claimed in claim 10 in which said vertical side members are of tubular construction and through which portions of said hoisting cable extend.
 12. A hoist for multi-storied buildings under construction comprising a support structure including a pair of spaced-apart side members, means interconnecting said side members, means for releasably securing the support structure to a building being constructed above the ground level thereof, a base vertically aligned with and anchored below the support structure, vertical guides on the side members, a lift unit having an upper section and a lower section and movable vertically within and below the support structure, guide means on said lift unit adapted slidably to engage the vertical guides when the lift unit is in the support structure, a continuous hoisting cable threaded through blocks on the support structure, the base and the upper and lower sections of the lift unit, said guide means slidably engaging portions of the cable which guide the lift unit when the latter moves below the support structure, anchoring means for securing against movement ends of the cable near the base, and power means operatively connected to the hoisting cable to shift portions thereof back and forth between the upper and lower sections of the lift unit selectively to cause said unit to travel up and down.
 13. A hoist as claimed in claim 12 in which said guide means of the lift unit includes vertical tubes through which portions of said hoisting cable extend. 